Enjoy freedom on a surfboard with me at New Zealand’s best surfing spots

Growing up in Auckland, my parents always worried about my tomboy ways. Having four older brothers who constantly teased me didn’t help either. But all that changed the day I discovered the joys of a surfboard while on a weekend beach holiday with my family.

It was at Waikato’s beach I first discovered my passion and I made sure not to tell my parents fearing they’d stop me because it was another “tomboy thing”. But two years later on another beach holiday with my family, I finally decided to reveal to my parents the truth of why I kept returning home on Sunday evenings with wet hair.

To my surprise, when I returned to shore with my surfboard, my brothers lifted me on their shoulders like I was their hero and my parents never raised the issue of my tomboyish nature again.

All grown up now, I spend my weekends traversing New Zealand’s coasts searching for the best waves with three of my brothers who’ve also become addicted to the thrill of riding a surfboard. I’ve also surfed in Brazil and the United States. If looking for some overseas surfing fun, the US offers some pretty nice waves.

Best part about visiting the US from New Zealand for a surfing tour is you don’t need to apply for a visa. As long as you’ve got a valid passport, all you need do is apply for an ESTA.

But for me, nothing still beats New Zealand’s waves. And these are my favourite surfing spots;

Northland, Auckland, Waikato

You never quite forget your first love and that’s exactly my relationship with Waikato’s gorgeous beaches. Once you reach Auckland’s city limits, you can choose to travel either West or East for a grand surfing experience.

West Coast surfing will offer you the wild waves and black sand beaches of Muriwai and Piha. If you choose east, you’ll find the golden beaches of Mangawhai and Te Arai which are both popular surf spots. But if you’d rather feel what I feel, then head on over to Waikato for an unforgettable surfing experience with other surfboard lovers. The surfing conditions here are superb.

Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, Eastland

There’s no denying how numbingly beautiful New Zealand’s east coast is. Its remoteness grants the region a unique serenity that’s sometimes broken when I scream in exhilaration while surfing there.

Gisborne, East Coast of the North Island

In all honesty, surfing in Gisborne is great. It offers some of the best surf breaks you’ll find in New Zealand. But it’s on this list for a totally different reason. I mostly come here alone for some predawn surfing. Why? Because I get to be the first person on earth to watch the sun rise on a new day. And that’s something you can do only in Gisborne.

Those are my favourites but other notable New Zealand surfing locations for me are; Taranaki Mahia Peninsula, Otago Peninsula, Kaikoura, and Port Waikato.